


tonight lets be lovers

by wafflesofdoom



Series: all the ways we could have loved [1]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe, Light Angst, M/M, Mental Health Issues, One Night Stands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-09-07 03:18:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8781058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesofdoom/pseuds/wafflesofdoom
Summary: boy meets boy in a pub. boy gives other boy a blowjob in a bathroom. boy goes home with boy and has a great shag. boy never sees other boy again.thats how one night stands are supposed to go, but not if you're aaron dingle, apparently. in his case, you get to have an awkward sit down dinner with the your best friend, his girlfriend and the bloke you gave a fake number to. just a standard saturday evening, really.





	

**Author's Note:**

> mentions of depression throughout this one if you don't enjoy that sort of thing! also a mention of gordon, but no details.

Aaron had never regretted anything more in his life than he did right now, standing outside a nice restaurant in Leeds, wearing a shirt and jeans and feeling like his heart was going to explode out of his chest.

He should have never agreed to let Adam set him up. He’d been with Victoria for a year now, and they were going to have dinner with her older brother that evening - and Adam had begged him to come along and make it an even four. 

Her brother had just come out as bisexual, apparently, surprising Victoria and her brother Andy to no end. Aaron wasn’t even going to pretend like he knew the Sugden’s well - Robert had moved out of the village by time he’d started to live there properly, and their paths had never crossed.

Aaron had moved up to Leeds when he was twenty-one, desperate to get away from the claustrophobic surroundings of Emmerdale. He loved his family, he did, but when everything that had happened with Gordon had come out after he’d started therapy, when he was eighteen and his mum found out he was self harmed, well, they’d gotten a bit overprotective.

A one night stand with Finn (quiet, kind _Finn Barton_ , of all people) had ended with the youngest Barton getting the third degree on consent from his mother, and that had been the last straw really, and a flat in Leeds with two mostly annoying but sort of nice housemates seemed like a more attractive option than a rent-free room at the pub.

Aaron living in the city hadn’t stopped Adam from taking a serious interest in his love life, and Aaron figured the whole ‘oh, it’s just making it an even four’ thing he’d been fed by Adam and Vic was a blatant lie, and they were just trying to set him up with Vic’s mysterious older brother.

It wasn’t as if he needed the help. He was fine, being single, thank you very much. Aaron had broken up with his last serious boyfriend nearly two years ago, a sweet but exceptionally dull guy named Ed that he’d moved to France with for a bit, giving up on ever getting a grasp of the language or having any actual excitement in his relationship with Ed. 

Why did no one in his life seem to grasp the concept that he could be single and happy? 

He _was_ happy. Ish. Maybe a little sexually frustrated, but doing okay all the same.

Relationships took a lot of effort, and Aaron didn’t really have it in him to make that sort of effort on a daily basis at the moment. He still had days when getting out of bed and going to work was a mammoth task, so the idea of having to think about someone else wasn’t exactly attractive to him right now. 

Sighing, Aaron shoved his phone back in his pocket, crossing the street to the restaurant. It was some pokey little Italian place that Victoria had been way too excited to try, and he could see Adam and Vic sitting at a corner table. 

The mystery brother had his back to Aaron, his shoulders hunched over as he sat across from Adam and Vic, clearly distracted by something on his phone. He didn’t blame him, really - Adam and Vic were a bit much at the best of times, as touchy-feely as they came.

“Hiya.” Aaron greeted, waving at Adam and Vic.

“Aaron! You made it.” Victoria beamed, jumping out of her seat to give him a hug.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” 

The unspoken explanation of ‘well, you’ve cancelled on us four times in a row now and we weren’t really sure you’d actually turn up’ hung in the air between them for a second before Victoria gave him a bright smile, manhandling him to face the mystery guest. 

“This is my brother, Robert.”

Aaron turned to look at Victoria’s brother, his eyes widening. He’d recognise that face anywhere, considering last time he saw it, he was on his knees in a rank pub bathroom, giving him a blowjob. And then he’d let the blonde fella take him home and fuck him absolutely senseless before he gave him a fake name (Tom) and a fake number (the number for the Barton’s taxi company) and legging it at six am so he didn’t have to deal with the awkward morning after chat.

He was starting to think he should have stuck around for the awkward morning after chat, because this really wasn’t a better alternative.

There was a flash of recognition in Robert’s expression, and Aaron jumped to shake his hand.

“Aaron.” He introduced. “Nice to meet ya.”

“Robert.” Robert nodded, settling back in his chair. If he was disappointed Aaron didn’t admit they knew each other, well, he didn’t let on.

Aaron plonked himself in the spare seat next to Robert, grabbing a menu. “Whats so special about this place then Vic, eh?” He asked, flicking through the menu. He’d probably just order a lasagna, not in the mood to be too adventurous.

“It’s the best Italian food you’ll ever have Aaron!”

“What about the Italian food in Italy?” Aaron mumbled, ignoring Victoria’s glare.

“Yes, well, not all of us have actually been to Italy, have we?” She huffed. “Aaron Dingle, judgemental jetsetter. Who’d have thought!”

“Jetsetter?” Robert smirked.

“I used to live in France. Drove around a bit.” Aaron shrugged, setting his menu down. “You really drinking wine, Adam?”

Adam shrugged. “Alcohol, innit?”

Aaron wrinkled his nose. “I’d still rather a pint.”

“They’ve not got anything on tap here, just that craft beer you’re always moaning is ponce-y.” Victoria said, pouring him a glass anyway. 

“You should appreciate a good wine, seeing as you lived in France.” Robert said, taking a sip of his own glass. “It is a French wine, after all.”

“All wine tastes the same.” Aaron responded shortly. He knew he was being a bit icy with Robert, but it was all just a bit weird, sitting next to a fella he’d shagged a few weeks previously, his best mate and his girlfriend none the wiser to the whole situation.

“Shall we order then?” Victoria said brightly, trying to diffuse the whole situation.

Most of the dinner passed by with idle chit-chat, Victoria rambling about work, Adam telling Robert all about his plans to start up his own scrapyard - if he could ever convince Aaron to move home to the village.

“You live around here then?” Robert inquired.

“Yup.”

“What do you work at?”  


“Mechanic.”

“Aaron works up at that fancy Audi garage on the other side of town. Proper nice job it is! Not bad for a fella that started out working in Dingle and Dingle, right? His mum’s dead proud, Aaron’s a great mechanic.”

Aaron glared at Victoria, wishing she’d stop running her mouth off about him. It’s not like he wanted Robert to be able to find him so easily.

“I used to work in Dingle and Dingle.” Robert offered. “Before I moved away. Bit of a dab hand with an engine, me.”

“Sure you are.” Aaron snorted, knocking back the last of his wine. “I’m going for a piss.”

“Aaron! There’s some things we don’t need to know.”

Aaron ignored Victoria’s annoyance, heading for the bathroom. Sitting next to Robert was driving him mad, because all he could think about every time their legs brushed together, or when Robert reached across him for the wine was how great he smelled and how great a kisser he’d been, and how every nerve ending in his body had come alive when they’d had sex, and how easy and nice it had all been afterward, the two of them lying in bed, laughing and joking, Robert giving out to him for the sneaky cigarette he’d had, half hanging out Robert’s bedroom window so as not to set off the fire alarm. 

It had felt right, and it had scared the fuck out of him.

“Hey.”

Aaron looked up, his hands clenching against the cool tile of the sink as he saw Robert standing behind him. “Can’t I have a piss in peace?”

“Sure,” Robert looked so stupidly gorgeous, standing with his hands in his pockets, his maroon shirt offsetting his blonde hair. “But you’re just standing with your head in the sink, so I figure it’s as good time as any to talk to you.”

“Whats there to talk about?”

“You being so short with me. Vic’ll know something is up.”

“And thats my problem because…?”

“I mean, I’m fine with her knowing we had a one night stand weeks ago, but maybe wait until we get dessert before you tell her how we met in a bar and you dragged me into a bathroom to give me a blowjob?”

“You know what, I don’t need this. I’m going home.” Aaron snarled, trying to shove past Robert. 

“I thought we had fun that night, you and me. Why the fake name and the fake number?”  


“It was hardly a marriage proposal, I was just looking to get shagged.” Aaron said, shaking his head. “Whatever you think is goin’ on, it’s goin’ on in your head.”

“See, thats how I know you’re lying, because there was a real connection there that night.” Robert said, stepping closer to him. Close enough that Aaron could smell his cologne, the spicy scent that had lingered on Robert’s pillowcases as he’d tried to sleep that night, his mind whirling. “I wanted to see you again.”

“You don’t."

“I think I know what I want.”

“Well, it’s not me. You don’t want someone like me, I’m not easy. I’ve got a lot of fucked up stuff going on in my head, and I don’t need you to add to it.” Aaron shook his head. “Back off, eh? If I’d wanted more from ya, I’d have told you my real name.”

Robert held up his hands in surrender. “Alright.” 

“And keep your hands to yourself, right? I don’t know what your game is, but if you try and touch my knee one more time, I’ll break your hand.”

“Understood.”

Aaron rolled his eyes, shoving past Robert and back into the restaurant. He knew he couldn’t hide the mood he was in, and he spent the rest of the meal silent, poking at the dessert he’d ordered, half listening to Victoria and Adam’s conversation. 

“Aaron, mate, ya alright?” Adam leaned across the table when Victoria and Robert had stood up to get their coats. 

Aaron nodded. “Just not feeling great.”

“Is it the, _y’know_?” Adam asked in a stage whisper, gesturing wildly. 

“Are we playin’ charades now?” Aaron rolled his eyes. “I’m just not feelin’ great today. Think I’ll skip the drink and head home.”

“Oh, Aaron. Are you okay?” Victoria was immediately in concerned mum mode, putting a hand to Aaron’s forehead. 

“I’m fine, Vic, just not feeling the best. Think I’m coming down with something.” Aaron said, giving her an apologetic look. “Next time you’re both in Leeds we’ll have a mad night out, eh? Make up for it.”

“Okay.” Victoria sounded disappointed.

Aaron grabbed his phone and wallet, standing to leave. “Enjoy your night,” He said, turning quickly and walking out of the restaurant. 

Aaron felt strange. It felt like more than a general sense of being off today, more like he was floating well above everyone else’s heads and that his entire evening had happened to someone else and he’d just watched it from afar. He could almost hear his counsellors voice in his head - _thats depersonalisation Aaron_ , _you shouldn’t ignore it._

Well, he was going to, because ignoring stuff was what Aaron Dingle did best, thank you very much. 

“Aaron! Aaron, wait up will ya?”

Aaron practically growled. “I left because I didn’t want to be near you, or anyone else for that matter. So do one, eh Robert?”

“Vic asked me to make sure you got home okay, she’s worried.” Robert said, sticking his hands in the pockets of his suit trousers, looking at Aaron carefully. “I’m walking your way anyway.”

“How do you know that?”

“Vic told me where you lived.” Robert shrugged. “Aaron, come on, what have I done to piss ya off?”

“Nothing, alright? It’s me, this is all me.”

“What are you on about?”

Aaron shook his head. “None of your business.”

“Aaron, come on, make me understand. I _really_ like you.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Because we stayed up all night talking when you were at mine, and thats not your typical fucking shag, is it?” Robert snapped. “I like ya, and I haven’t stopped thinking about ya for weeks, so will you just get your head out of your ass and talk to me like a normal person?”  


“Well, I’m not a normal person, so there’s your problem.”

“What the fuck are you on about?”  


Aaron threw his arms out wide. “I’m depressed. Have been for a long time, apparently, and surprise surprise, makes me a _bit_ weird. You just caught me on a good day, and today is not one of those, and it’s not like I actually have many good days at the moment anyway, so unless you want me to punch your lights out, do one.”

“So what if you’re depressed?”

“Excuse me?”  


“I said, so what if you’re depressed? Everyone’s got their own shit.”

“Oh, like you, Mr Perfect? Vic’s told me all about you and how everything always comes up Robert flaming Sugden.”

“Has she told you why I left Emmerdale?”  
  
“To go to uni.”

“No, I got kicked out by my dad because I accidentally got Max King killed. Ran at my _idiot_ brother with a car, and Max got the short end of the stick, ended up trapped in a burning car with me to blame, so I got sent away.” Robert said. “You know what its like to be 19 and living on your own in London? Slept rough for weeks, and I was so fucking _terrified_ all the time. I still get the nightmares, still wake up screaming like I’m a little kid and not a thirty year old man. So you’re not the only one who’s got a few mental health problems, Aaron, don’t think you’re so special.”

“Why are you telling me this?”  
  
“Jesus christ.” Robert pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated. “I told ya, I like you.”

“Why?”

“I don’t fucking know, do I? This is only my second time meeting ya. I just know I like you and I’d like to get to know ya, if you decide to calm down a bit and fucking let me.” 

Aaron didn’t know what to say. 

He knew Robert wasn’t wrong. There had been a connection there, the night they’d slept together, and he’d done his best to ignore it, because he wasn’t exactly in the headspace for a relationship there and then.

But he might never be, he thought. 

He might always be depressed. 

“Okay.” Aaron found himself saying. “You can walk me home.”

Robert beamed. “Good. You always this hard work, then?”  


“Yup.” Aaron said, cracking a smile. “Pretty much. You want to run yet?”

“Nah, you were a good shag. I’ll deal with it.”

Aaron rolled his eyes, letting Robert fall into step beside him. His head felt a little less fuzzy as they walked, his focus on the man next to him, the tall blonde keeping him out of his own head with his incessant chatter. 

He might always be depressed.

But it’s not like he couldn’t giving being happy a go. 

 

** fin **


End file.
